Freida Selena Pinto (born 18 October 1984) is an Indian actress who has appeared mainly in American and British films. Born and raised inMumbai,Maharashtra, she resolved at a young age to become an actress. As a student atSt. Xavier's College, Mumbai she took part in amateur plays. After graduation, she briefly worked as a model and then as a television presenter.
Pinto had a middle class upbringing in the suburb ofMalad, North Mumbai.[9][10] She first wanted to be an actress when she was five years old,[11][12] often dressing up and imitating television actors during her childhood.[11][13] She later recalled being inspired bySushmita Sen's victory in the1994 Miss Universe competition, explaining that "the country was really proud of her, and I was like, one day, I want to do the same".[14] Pinto attended the Carmel of St. Joseph School inMalad, North Mumbai[15] and then studied atSt. Xavier's College, Mumbai inFort,South Mumbai. Her major was in English literature, with minors in psychology and economics.[13][16] At college, she participated inamateur theatre,[13] but declined acting and modeling assignments until her graduation in 2005.[17]
Despite her interest in acting from an early age, Pinto was undecided on what career to take until watchingMonster (2003) while at college. She stated: "I guess it was when I watchedMonster... I pretty much knew. I had to find a way. I had to do something like that, something completely transformational."[18] In 2005, Pinto began a modeling career and joinedElite Model Management India,[3] with whom she worked for two and a half years.[13] She was featured in several television and print advertisements for products such asWrigley's Chewing Gum,Škoda,Vodafone India,Airtel,Visa,eBay, andDe Beers.[19]
Around the same time, Pinto began going to auditions for films and television shows. She was chosen to hostFull Circle, an international travel show that aired onZee International Asia Pacific between 2006 and 2008.[12] The show took her to countries all over the world, including Afghanistan, Fiji, Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand.[20] Her auditions for bothBollywood and Hollywood productions, includingShimit Amin's Indian Hindi-languagesports filmChak De! India (2007), and for the role ofBond girlCamille Montes inMarc Forster'sQuantum of Solace (2008), were largely unsuccessful.[13][18][20] Pinto later claimed that it was a good learning experience, stating that she was "glad things happened the way they happened. I needed to be rejected, and I needed to learn that it's part of the game... I can have 100 rejections, but I'm sure there's going to be one particular thing that is almost destined for me to have."[21]
In 2007, Pinto's modeling agency selected her and six other models to audition for the female lead inDanny Boyle's filmSlumdog Millionaire (2008) after a request by its casting director.[3][13] After undergoing six months of extensive auditions, Pinto won the role of Latika, the love interest of the main character Jamal, played byDev Patel.[22] During the post-production phase, she attended an acting course at theBarry John Acting Studio in Mumbai.[8] Although the course taught her about the "technical aspects" of acting, she stated that "in terms of the actual experience, there's nothing like going out there and actually playing the part... So for me, my favorite acting school was the six months of auditioning with Danny Boyle".[13] Pinto won the Breakthrough Performance Award at thePalm Springs International Film Festival,[23] and theScreen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture, along with other cast members from the film.[24]She was also nominated forBest Actress in a Supporting Role at theBAFTA Awards.[25] Pinto's performance in the film drew little attention from critics as her screen presence in the film was limited.The Telegraph (Calcutta) opined "it's difficult to form an opinion" on her character; its columnist Bharathi S. Pradhan noted "Slumdog Millionaire wasn't really a test of Freida's acting abilities."[12]
Pinto's third film role in 2011 was playing Princess Lailah in the poorly received independent filmDay of the Falcon,[b][52] a period drama set in the 1930s Middle East, where she was cast alongside Antonio Banderas,Mark Strong andLiya Kebede.[53] Despite overall negative reviews, Andy Webster ofThe New York Times described Pinto and Kebede as "refreshing" and praised their "independent presences amid the stiflingly male-dominated milieu".[54] Pinto's final screen appearance of the year was in the fantasy-action filmImmortals, in which she played the oracle priestessPhaedra.[55] Despite receiving mixed-to-positive reviews from critics,[56] the film grossedUS$226.9 million worldwide.[57] Writing forThe Hollywood Reporter, Todd McCarthy remarked that Phaedra was "capably embodied" by Pinto.[58]
After 2011, Pinto had no new film releases for two years. In 2013, she appeared in the music video forBruno Mars' single "Gorilla". She was criticised by theIndian media for appearing in the video;[59]The Times of India andHindustan Times dismissed it as little more than "dirty dancing".[60][61] In the same year, Pinto was also one of the narrators in the documentary filmGirl Rising, produced for thecampaign of the same name which promotes access to education for girls all over the world.[62]
Pinto's first cinematic appearance in two years was in the biographical dramaDesert Dancer (2014), which was about the life of Iranian choreographerAfshin Ghaffarian.[63] She played the heroin-addicted Elaheh, the love interest of the lead character played byReece Ritchie.[64] The role required her to do dance training consisting of eight hours of rehearsals a day for 14 weeks.[65] She also attended a few sessions at rehabilitation centres in the United States to prepare for her role.[66] It received largely negative reviews,[67][68] although Andy Webster ofThe New York Times noted that "Pinto, even with an unfocused and underwritten role, is captivating".[64]
Pinto's first film of 2015 wasTerrence Malick'sKnight of Cups, which featured an ensemble cast includingChristian Bale,Cate Blanchett,Natalie Portman, and Antonio Banderas.[69] She played Helen, a model with whom Bale embarks on a "dalliance".[70][71] She talked about acting without a script: "It is definitely a bit nerve-racking on the first day because you don't know where you are going to go. But once you figure that out, then it doesn't really matter. It is actually very relaxing. It is fun and liberating. It is an experience that I completely embrace".[72] Premiering at the competition section of the65th Berlin International Film Festival,[73][74] the film received average to mixed reviews from critics.[75][76] The film was released in the United States in March 2016.[77] She was among the 100 narrators ofUnity (2015), a documentary that explores the relationships between Earth's species.[78] Her third release of that year was the Colombian action filmBlunt Force Trauma, in which she starred oppositeRyan Kwanten andMickey Rourke as a woman looking for her brother's murderer.[79] John DeFore ofThe Hollywood Reporter criticised the film, stating that it "takes itself much more seriously than viewers will."[80] In 2015, Pinto worked onAndy Serkis'Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle, amotion capture adventure fantasy film based onRudyard Kipling'sThe Jungle Book.[81] She portraysMowgli's adoptive mother, Messua, in the film.[72][82]
Pinto has been actively involved with severalhumanitarian causes, and is vocal about the uplifting of women and underprivileged children.[86][87] She has citedAngelina Jolie andMalala Yousafzai as "massive" inspirations in this regard.[88] In 2010, Pinto joinedAndre Agassi andSteffi Graf in support of their philanthropic organisation, the Agassi Foundation. She raised $75,000 for their annual fund raiser — "The 15th Grand Slam for Children"—which was aimed at providing education for underprivileged children.[89][90] Two years later, she was appointed as the global ambassador ofPlan International'sBecause I am a Girl,[91] a campaign that promotesgender equality with the aim of lifting millions of girls out of poverty.[92]
In 2013, Pinto appeared in a video clip forGucci's "Chime for Change" campaign to raise funds and awareness of women's issues in terms of education, health, and justice.[93]
The following year, she participated at the "Girls' rights summit" in London, where she called for more progress toward the end offemale genital mutilation andchild marriage.[94] In March 2015, she spoke out against theIndian government's ban onIndia's Daughter,Leslee Udwin's documentary on the2012 Delhi gang rape.[95] During its premiere at the United States, she said the film needs to reach the public as it is not a "shame-India documentary".[96] In a 2015 interview, she stated: "This film in no way is propagating violence in order to solve the problem. In fact, what we're saying is let's do this in the most civilized possible way ever".[97]
In February 2016, Pinto announced that she would be a part of a nonprofit organisation called "We Do It Together", which provides financing for feature films, documentaries, and television shows that focus on women's empowerment.[86]
Although she played a small role inSlumdog Millionaire, the film catapulted Pinto to widespread recognition.[98][99] The media has often speculated about her roles and earnings.[17][100] In March 2009,The Daily Telegraph reported Pinto as the highest-paid Indian actress,[101] although she had not appeared in a Bollywood film to that point.[102]CNN-IBN called her "India's best export to [the] West",[103] whileThe Telegraph (Calcutta) described her as "arguably the biggest global star from India".[98]
Pinto has been frequently included in beauty and fashion polls conducted by various magazines.[104][105] She was featured inPeople magazine's annual lists of "World's Most Beautiful People" and "World's Best Dressed Women" in 2009.[106][107] That year, she was also included inVogue's list of the "top ten most stylish women".[108] In 2011, Pinto was included as the only Indian celebrity among the "50 Most Beautiful Women in Film", a list compiled byLos Angeles Times Magazine.[109] The following year,People named her one of the "Most Beautiful at Every Age".[110] She was featured in the "Top 99 Most Desirable Women" poll conducted byAskMen, consecutively from 2010 to 2012.[111][112][113]
In 2009, Pinto was made a spokeswoman forL'Oréal Paris.[114] Two years later, a controversy arose when she appeared in an advert promoting a L'Oréal product; it showed Pinto in what was perceived to be a lighter skin tone due to make-up or editing. The company denied claims of retouching Pinto's picture.[115][116]
A popular actress in Hollywood, Pinto remains a relatively little-known figure in India;[98][117] critics and analysts have attributed the fact to the failure ofSlumdog Millionaire in the country.[118] Indian sociologistAshis Nandy remarked, "My periscope does not pick her up", while journalistKhalid Mohamed stated, "She is not a factor in Mumbai."[98] The Indian media has criticised her "fluctuating" accents, in Hindi and English, and attributed her inability to find roles in Bollywood to her dark complexion.[17] Despite these criticisms, Pinto has been credited by the media for having avoidedbeing stereotyped as an Indian in Hollywood, as she often plays characters of other nationalities.[40][119] In a 2012 interview withHindustan Times, she said she consciously avoids roles that depict stereotypes.[120]
Pinto balances out her career by working in "big budget Hollywood blockbusters" alongside "smart independent films." When asked about her preference for Hollywood, she replied: "I just wanted to become an actor. As an actor, you don't have to limit yourself to a particular culture or ethnicity. I want to spread my tentacles everywhere and am ready for a film offer from any part of the world."[121]
Before beginning her film career, Pinto was engaged to Rohan Antao, who had been her publicist at one point. She ended the relationship in January 2009 and began dating herSlumdog Millionaire co-starDev Patel.[122] After a six-year relationship, the couple separated amicably in December 2014.[123]
Pinto became engaged to photographer Cory Tran in November 2019,[124] and they married in 2020 at theHonda Center.[125] She gave birth to their son in November 2021.[126]
After the success ofSlumdog Millionaire, Pinto had split her time between Mumbai, London, and Los Angeles,[17][122][127] and as of 2015 she lives in Los Angeles.[128]
^Pinto on her Portuguese surname toInterview: "I come from Mangalore, which is in the southern part of India, where you have a big Catholic population. Some of them were forced into conversions by the British and Portuguese. So I may not necessarily have that kind of lineage. I could pretty much be a Hindu from India."[4]
^abDay of the Falcon is also known asBlack Gold andOr noir.
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